Howdy Gents. After 3 years of working a job I hate, I got my stuff together and got accepted into U of Idaho Ecohydrology Sci & Mgmt Master's program. Can't explain how excited I am to be studying in a field I am passionate about. I will be packed and headed towards the panhandle this coming August with my young lab Josey (She will be 1 yr 4 mo by then, pictured below). Josey is at the trainer right now completing her force fetch work and starting casting, force to pile, steadiness, etc. She has had some birds killed over her at the trainer, but I didn't hunt her this season as I felt she was too young and weather in Kansas got frigid too quickly.

I'm not looking for your places to hunt. I fully intend on doing my own scouting, as there's few things I enjoy more than spending a day in the truck exploring new places. Rather I am looking to make new friends to hunt with...more to the point I'm looking for guys to kill birds while I handle Josey for the first few hunts of the season. Dove or teal..anything we can get early and often up there. I won't bring my gun for the first few, I just want to start the dog off right in her first season.

As for me, I'm a respectful guy who prides himself on being a safe hunter. Experience hunting fields, marshes, and rivers. Hunting wise I can bring to the table pretty standard mixed floater dekes, jerk rig, mojo, truck, layout blind (kills me to sell my boat/motor, all full body decoys as they won't make the move). I'm no championship caller but I've finished many birds in Kansas. Mainly set up to hunt ducks but I got to go on a couple goose hunts this year and loved it. I'm also generous giving out dips of my Cope Wintergreen if that counts for anything. I can drink beer, grill steaks with the best of em, and I know a thing or two about making good BBQ. Very much looking forward to the ample public ground in Idaho as compared to Kansas. Cheers!

I don't know about the laws in Kansas, but you can kill collared doves here all year long, and no limit.If you're wanting to shoot birds over your dog, you'll find those birds stay here right thru winter. I'm sure they must do so in Moscow as well.

Congrats on your acceptance to grad school and your decision to move to such an awesome state! I live in SE Idaho, so we will be too far away to hunt but welcome anyway. Sounds like you are pretty well set up, but I think if I was moving to a new area the last thing I would do is sell my boat and field decoys! I've never hunted up there, but boats and decoys are your ticket to good times. If it comes down to cash I think I'd sell my tv and couch first! Fill the boat with the decoys and hook it to the Uhaul or pickup.......

blackrock wrote:Congrats on your acceptance to grad school and your decision to move to such an awesome state! I live in SE Idaho, so we will be too far away to hunt but welcome anyway. Sounds like you are pretty well set up, but I think if I was moving to a new area the last thing I would do is sell my boat and field decoys! I've never hunted up there, but boats and decoys are your ticket to good times. If it comes down to cash I think I'd sell my tv and couch first! Fill the boat with the decoys and hook it to the Uhaul or pickup.......

Much appreciated. It's not for sure as I don't have a place to live yet, but I was thinking storing a boat and field decoys at an apt complex or something like it would be a pain in the a**. Figured I may be able to get my hands on a good canoe or kayak once I get settled up there.

I am 100% behind Blackrock about the boat thing. Keep the boat if it is at all possible. Lot's of water up there where your'e going, and big lakes with waterfowl on points and shallow bays you need a boat to get to.Keep the boat until you get here at least.

Scout with the boat, bet you find at least as much that way as you do in a truck.

Second all that by fsbirdhouse. I think you'll have more problem finding an apartment with your pup than anything else. I know you have been through college, but I always found a like minded roommate and rented a small house with a garage. Storage, dog, guns, BBQ and no close neighbors! It would be great to get there earlier in the summer, digs get scarce quick in college towns. As far as meeting some new hunting partners and gaining access the advantage of bringing field decoys and a boat to the friendship will be obvious. Heck you might even partner with a guy that has a shop or big garage but no boat. I went for a few years without a duck boat and being shore bound sucks. Best of luck!

I have an old bow I use to hunt turkeys. I will use it 2-3 times a year to whitetail hunt from a tree stand, but once duck season hits that is all I care about. Elk is on my bucket list to do while out there. Figure if I come across the right guy who would let me tag along ,I could help him pack it out for a couple elk steaks, learn a few things about hunting them that way.

You guys have convinced me to keep the boat. It's nothing special, just an otter 2000 but it's done me well in KS. Beats the hell out of walking in. Fits in my truck bed for convenience. Any of the big reservoirs I've hunted with it I more or less hug the shore for the most part anyways. If you guys don't think that is a worthwhile vessel for the area let me know! Appreciate all the responses.

By all means keep your Stealth. There are plenty of places where it will serve you way better than walk-in from the shore. Said places may be froze up by Thanksgiving or a bit later, but you will be glad you had that little boat for the first half of the season.

There always seem to be guys heading to school in Moscow looking for someone to hunt with as the season gets closer. Hope you find someone to share a blind with. And welcome to Idaho.

Man I feel like I might have just hit the jack pot!!!!I moved out here from the Midwest two years ago so if you need any help getting settled in, or have any questions please feel free to email me at alexrnld@yahoo.comI'd love to get out and do some duck hunting my brother has gotten pretty big into in back in Missouri but with black bear and elk I really haven't had the time to try it out.I know a few places and have become pretty good friends with the taxidermist here who is a huge waterfowl guy so he might be a good source.

They also have some really good upland hunting down there too, so if you can get your pups trained up on pheasant, chucker, and quail you have a lot more options open to you. Also it will be well worth keeping the boat for fishing and duck hunting.